#lakeview.task

A beat. A momentary silence. Please let this one be homophobic. Oh, please please please please please! Rose didn’t have much going on, so spending a day or two in the clink didn’t sound like the worst thing in the world. It might even be fun. 

“Erm, alright...Rose. For our records, though, could you please state your full name?”

“Ambrose Wilde --that’s with an E, like Oscar-- Prince. You can call me Rosie, too, if you want. I just feel like Ambrose is better for, like, job interviews, y’know?” They could tone it down. They were fully aware of that. But where was the fun in that?

“Alright. And have you ever been known under any other name? Any aliases?”

Now it was Rose’s turn to squirm. Already with the personal questions. Not that they were too worried. Most of their record was sealed, anyway. They couldn’t dig up anything on them without a court order, and seeing as how they were, like, the least likely suspect --not the least of which because they didn’t do anything-- it was unlikely that was going to happen. 

“You got a pen and paper? You won’t be able to spell it.” Upon being handed a pen and paper, they scribbled a name down. It wasn’t a deadname. Just...a name they outgrew. Also, it wasn’t cute. And they were very cute. They’d always been more of a Rose than a Zlatko. Handing it over to the officers, they raised an eyebrow in question. “Anything else?”

Rapid fire round this time.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight. Turning twenty-nine in June.”

“Where do you currently work?”

“La Scoglio. I’m a waiter.” 

“How long have you lived in Lakeview?”

“Ten years.”

“What was your connection to Jack Masen?”

“I barely knew the guy. He worked at his parents’ bar, right? End of acquaintance.” Not entirely true. Had they sold to him, or was it one of his friends who was buying? It hardly mattered. They’d sold to their fair share of college kids in this town.

“What was your connection to Mary Beth Stanton?”

“Again. Didn’t really know her. The two of them were kinda young for me.”

“Where were you on April 7th, 2021 between 10 pm and midnight?“

“Don’t remember.”

That got the guy’s attention. Fuck. But, hell, what were they supposed to do, just tell the guy they were on a delivery? No thanks. And they couldn’t very well lie and say they were hanging out with anyone in town. They were the sort to wander, not really hang out. They rolled their eyes when the detective sat up a bit straighter.

“What do you mean, you don’t remember?” He asked, and Rose braced for the bullshit. “Two people were murdered that night. That happen to you often enough you can’t remember? Just another night for you? C’mon, man, you’ve gotta know how ridiculous that sounds.”

“First of all,” Rose spat back at him, not even bothering to sit up. “Don’t call me ‘man’. We’re not friends. I don’t know you. I don’t like you. Second, sue me, I don’t remember. I don’t really do much, and it was a few weeks ago. I didn’t know anyone involved, so it’s not exactly high up on my list of things to cry over every night. Maybe I was at home. I might’ve been seeing a movie. I could’ve been fucking your wife for all I can recall. Go home and ask her for me, yeah?”

They could see the detective’s eyebrow twitching. Good. Now they were both annoyed at their current situation.

“So. If you don’t remember where you were, I’m assuming there’s no one to corroborate your story.”

“Yup.”

“Alright. Next question. Did you see anyone heading out towards Route 9 on April 7th?“

“No.”

“If you don’t remember where you were, how are you so sure you didn’t see anything?”

“Because if I actually saw something, maybe I’d remember. I don’t remember, so I didn’t see anything. Clearly.”

They were really getting under his skin now. It was obvious. Rose knew a thing or two about contained rage, and boy howdy was this guy pissed. Halfway decent training, but not great. Some anger management courses might do him some good. Should they inquire about that? Maybe.

“Do you know anyone that might have had a motive to hurt Jack Masen and/or Mary Beth Stanton?”

“No. I barely knew them. Much less the people they hang around.”

“Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?”

“Can I go home?”

A pause. The detective pulled the tape recorder closer to himself, and turned it off. He looked at Rose and stood up, motioning for them to do the same. 

“You’re free to go. Be sure and call us if you remember anything. Man.” 

Rose jumped up so quickly the chair clattered to the floor, instantly in the detective’s face. They were barely able to get a word out  before being shoved backwards, nearly losing their balance and toppling to the ground themself. 

“I wouldn’t recommend that.”

Hm. Wonder if it’s illegal to spit at an officer.

“What is your full name?”

Well at least that was an easy one to start out with. “Em, Natalia Morgan Davis, I’d prefer you just call me Nat though.”

“Noted. Now, how old are you?”

“I’m 22,” It seemed easier just to answer the questions as quickly as possible in order to leave as soon as possible. No point in dragging this out.

“Okay and where do you currently work?”

“I work part time at The Scoop. I’m a student most of the time.”

How long have you lived in Lakeview?

“3 years, maybe just under 4, I came to study here or well nearby anyway. Lakeview made sense to commute.” Nat was well aware they were starting to ramble even without the glances that the officers sent each other. They bit down on their lip in an attempt to stop themselves talking.

What was your connection to Jack Masen?

“I didn’t really know him, might have seen him once or twice at parties that sort of thing but nothing more than a nod hello.”

What was your connection to Mary Beth Stanton?

“Ah, I’m her...” Nat’s voice trailed off slightly. Now that was complicated. She didn’t even know how to define her relationship with Evie let alone how to talk to an officer about it. Were they girl friends? Friends? People who just helped the other out when needed. Nat really wasn’t sure anymore. “I’m in classes with her sister. We’re close but I never spent a lot of time with Mary Beth unless I was with Evie.”

Where were you on April 7th, 2021 between 10 pm and midnight?

“I had an exam on the 9th so I think I was probably studying,”

Do you have anyone who can corroborate that statement?

“No. I study at home in my room. The library can be far too crowded and everywhere else is too loud.”

Did you see anyone heading out towards Route 9 on April 7th?

“No, like I said I was home.”

Do you know anyone that might have had a motive to hurt Jack Masen and/or Mary Beth Stanton?

Nat paused for a moment trying to think it over before shaking her head. “There were always rumours, but that was just stupid small town stuff.”

“Like what Ms Davis?”

“Who was dating who, people seeing arguments, or cheating. But I never saw anything and like I said a lot of it was petty rumours that had no basis in actual fact.”

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?